Funny facts about This Morning as it celebrates its 25th birthday

This Morning turns 25 this week. To celebrate, we chart the rise and rise of Britain’s best-loved breakfast show

Richard was stopped for speeding on the way to the studio for the inaugural programme [REX]

This Morning began at 10.40am on October 3, 1988. Hosted by regional presenters Judy Finnigan, 40, and Richard Madeley, 33, from the Albert Dock in Liverpool, the first show featured Just Good Friends star Paul Nicholas, Dr Chris Steele discussing the MMR vaccine, fashion knickers and a working mum phone-in.

Richard was stopped for speeding on the way to the studio for the inaugural programme. “I was trying to get there well ahead of time,” he recalls. “That was a great start. I got three points and a £20 fine.”

With a mix of topical and lifestyle features, This Morning modelled itself on US TV shows and replaced the repeats, game shows and soaps then airing during the day. Industry insiders predicted the innovative series wouldn’t last until Christmas, but – despite it being launched with no publicity – ratings rose to two million a day. This Thursday sees its 5,450th edition. Richard and Judy are coming back for the anniversary special, as is the iconic weather map, with Keith Lemon on forecasting duties.

Four regional broadcasters made pilot shows to bid for the national contract and the winning entry came from Granada. Television South offered a show called Home Today, hosted by Andy Craig and... Fern Britton.

Granada gave husband and wife Richard and Judy the presenting job after they fronted the region’s ITV Telethon for 27 hours. Both had journalistic backgrounds and Judy was Anglia Television’s first female reporter in 1974.

The theme tune was by David Pringle, who also wrote opening music for Wheel of Fortune, Fun House and The Pyramid Game.

Albert Dock is the largest group of Grade I-listed buildings in Britain – covering 1.25 million square feet. It was the first fireproof warehousing in the world and was opened in 1846 by Prince Albert.

This Morning was originally broadcast from a makeshift studio in the corner of the dock. With its colonnades and waterside location visible through the studio’s floor-to-ceiling windows, some viewers asked if they were broadcasting from Venice.

It might have looked beautiful, but Albert Dock wasn’t without problems as a location. For a start, the studio had no loo and Judy recalls nipping out to the pub next door during advertising breaks.

Even before Holly joined This Morning, her sister Kelly was Eamonn’s PA [GETTY]

The show has made history with a number of life-saving features, including the first live breast, testicular and prostate examinations on daytime TV

Fashion designer Jeff Banks prompted a visit from the bomb squad at Richard and Judy’s Manchester home, when he sent a tie to Mr Madeley as a gift in 1994. On his way to work, Richard read about parcel bombs being delivered to celebrities and – with Judy off sick with flu – rang home to warn her not to open any packages. When a padded envelope was pushed through their letterbox, she called the police.

This Morning has been the recipient of countless awards but none are more memorable than its 2000 National Television Award for Most Popular Daytime Show. Judy inadvertently showed her bra to the nation after her halterneck top came undone on stage.

Judy received sympathy from the Prime Minister’s wife who’d also been caught out in public – answering the door in her nightie. “She got a saucy postcard from Cherie Blair saying, ‘I know how you feel!’” revealed Richard. “It was wonderful,” says Judy. “A still from Carry on Camping with Barbara Windsor’s bra falling off.”

When it comes to embarrassment Richard’s impression of Ali G is difficult to beat. It was voted TV’s worst moment of 2000, but the character’s creator Sacha Baron Cohen liked it so much he asked R&J to make a cameo in the film Ali G Indahouse.

Phone-ins have always been a big part of the show and the callers can be unexpected. George Michael rang on R&J’s last day on July 12, 2001 to thank them for “easing me into the day”. Cherie Blair called to complain Tony never sent her flowers.

George Michael once donated £50,000 to the show’s festive appeal. Richard and Judy were so thrilled that they invited him to their home for Sunday lunch.

The couple announced that they’d tried Viagra after some pills were left over from a feature on the show. “We had one each,” Richard said. “It makes everything last much longer.”

Charlotte Church made her national debut on This Morning at 11 singing Pie Jesu down the phone to Richard and Judy in 1997. Two years later, when the programme decided to create its own boy band, future Pop Idol winner Will Young and Blue star Lee Ryan won a place in the line-up. It sank without trace – unlike the competition judge... Simon Cowell.

After British Midland axed its London to Liverpool flight, TM got its own light plane. But the bumpy ride wasn’t popular with guests, so in September 1996, the show moved to the capital.

When Richard and Judy left after 13 years, Fern Britton was asked to replace them alongside John Leslie, but she was pregnant, so singer and presenter Coleen Nolan got the job.

The studio had little security and one door led straight on to the dock’s arcade. Two ladies once mistook it for Habitat and walked in while the show was on air.Logistics proved tricky when getting guests to the studio.

In winter, fog at the airports in Manchester or Liverpool often meant the programme started before the day’s interviewees had landed, leaving Richard and Judy to fill the airtime as best they could.

Fred Talbot forecast the weather from a low-tech floating map of the British Isles. This became synonymous with the show and a tourist attraction, but only existed because they couldn’t afford computer graphics.

Serial streaker Mark Roberts showed the nation his warm front when he leapt on to the floating map in 1995.

Film director Ken Russell once directed a mock battle – complete with explosions – on the map during a weather report.

Resident doctor Chris Steele was Richard and Judy’s own GP when they offered him the chance to share his wisdom with the nation.

The show has made history with a number of life-saving features, including the first live breast, testicular and prostate examinations on daytime TV.

This Morning hasn’t just saved lives... it has made them. In 2010, Jo Maidment appeared to discuss how her primary care trust refused to fund fertility treatment because her partner had children from a previous relationship. An anonymous viewer was moved enough to pay for one round of IVF. Unfortunately, Jo miscarried, but later used a frozen embryo she’d saved from the treatment to become pregnant. Baby Betsy was born last year.

TM also broadcast the first gay partnership celebration live on air on Valentine’s Day 2001 between Manchester couple Neil Morris and Mark Jinks.Richard’s gaffes were legendary, but Judy wasn’t above putting her foot in her mouth. When Keith Chegwin admitted he was an alcoholic during a chat in 1992, his unexpected confession led to an unfortunate choice of words in praise of his honesty. “Thank you so much for saying that. It must have taken a lot of bottle!” Judy was mortified, but – in his autobiography – Keith said the interview was the moment that saved his life.

Fern and John Leslie’s subsequent double act quickly ended when he was linked to rape allegations made in Ulrika Jonsson’s memoirs. Phillip Schofield stepped into the breach and a legendary partnership was forged... over several drinks. “That first week, we sat on the dressing-room floor drinking whisky, telling each other our life stories,” recalls Fern. “We were thrown out of the studio for laughing too much.”

Inspired by comedian Joe Pasquale’s stories of entertaining the troops, Fern suggested she go to a war zone. She spent three days in the Iraqi city of Basra in 2007 and came under direct attack from enemy rockets.

Richard once dressed up as Ali G to present the show [REX]

Holly Willoughby became Phillip Schofield’s new co-host in September 2009. She’d first found fame at 14 when Storm Modelling Agency discovered her while on a school trip to the The Clothes Show Live.

This Morning has up to 1.5 million viewers a day and its website is ITV’s most popular with an average of 900,000 users per month. Phillip and Holly have an astonishing 2.4 million and 3.8 million Twitter followers respectively.

Italian chef Gino D’Acampo promised to cook naked if This Morning won Best Topical Magazine Programme at the NTAs in 2011. It did, so he dished up gammon, mushy peas and sauteéd potatoes in the buff.

Even before Holly joined This Morning, her sister Kelly was Eamonn’s PA. And Ruth used to make Fern Britton’s tea when they started out on regional TV. Fern was a continuity presenter and Ruth the transmission assistant.

TM’s The Hub host Matt Johnson broke two world records in 2011 – one for eating the most jelly in a minute while blindfolded with his arms tied behind his back, the other for eating the most mashed potatoes in 30 seconds with a teaspoon.

This Morning’s soap expert Sharon Marshall doesn’t just talk about soaps – she also writes for EastEnders.

Holly once walked out of the studio during an item on ghosts because she was so scared. She even started crying.

TM indulged in its own version of Celebrity Wife Swap when Eamonn was late for the show having been caught in traffic. Ruth borrowed the male half of the husband-and-wife team guesting that day... Richard Madeley.